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Musings on Family at the Holidays

Christmas is almost here! I'm really looking forward to having Em's parents here for the holidays. Life is good at NCCC, but I'm in need of a bit of recharge time. It'll be great to do that with family. So, I my blog posts may be fewer over the holidays. However, I'm not taking a blogation all together, so check back throughout the holidays. Here's a collection of random thoughts about family at the holidays.

It occurred to me as I typed the lines above that there are many people who will celebrate the holidays with family they don't get along with at all. Some will spend time wishing they had family to argue with. I'm blessed to have a great relationship with my parents, my in-laws, and everyone on both sides of our families. That's a blessing I should thank God for every day. It may have something to do with us all being Christians.

Carl Sandburg once said, "A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on." I like that, as an expectant father. Baby to be named later arrives on or around March 18.

My first-born daughter, Anna, was born on Christmas Eve. It always made preaching a Christmas Eve sermon more meaningful than inconvenient.

Parenting my sister and I caused my mother to pen a country song, entitled, "Just Like You." It was essentially about a mother's smug hope that her kids would grow up to have kids like them. Mom got her wish.

Finally,

Let those of us who have more difficult family situations ask God for a spirit of peace-making and forgiveness. May He grant you patience on every side. May you celebrate Jesus' incarnation with by living out it's implications.

Merry Christmas.

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Dr. Tim Spivey is Lead Planter of New Vintage Church in San Diego, California. He is the author of numerous articles and one book, "Jesus: The Powerful Servant." A sought after speaker for events, Tim also serves as Adjunct Professor of Religion at Pepperdine University. Tim serves as a church consultant, and his writings are featured on ChurchLeaders.com, Church Executive magazine, Faith Village, Sermon Central, and Giving Rocket.